Maya Bush Annatto, Achiotl Ku'u up Medicinal Use: for pharyngitis, gingivitis, bronchitis, infected wounds, topical ulcers, and as anti-parasitic agents

By Liliana Usvat    
Blog 344-365 

Common names: Achiote, Annato, Aploppas

Annatto ( English), Achiotl / Ku'u up (Maya), Achiote (Spanish), Bixa orellana, Bixa Family, Native to Mexico, now grown in many countries for its great taste and natural coloring qualities. Achiote is an important ingredient in "Pibil Pastes" and Mayan cooking. Annatto shrubs or bushes bear pink flowers and bright red-brown spiny fruits which contain the valuable burned red seeds. Mayan people value Annatto for its healing properties, great taste, fabulous natural dye, and wonderful aroma. Seeds are dried and used as powder

Bixa orellana is a tall shrub to small evergreen tree 20–33 ft (6–10 m) high. It bears clusters of 2 in (5 cm) bright white to pink flowers, resembling single wild roses, appearing at the tips of the branches. The fruits are in clusters: spiky looking red-brown seed pods covered in soft spines. Each pod contains many seeds covered with a thin waxy blood-red aril. When fully mature, the pod dries, hardens, and splits open, exposing the seeds.
The color of the seed coating is due mainly to the carotenoid pigments bixin and norbixin.

Culinary Uses

The seeds are heated in oil or lard to extract its dye and flavor for use in dishes and processed foods such as cheese, butter, soup, gravy, sauces, cured meats, and other items. The seeds impart a subtle flavor and aroma and a yellow to reddish-orange color to food. The seeds are used to color and flavor rice instead of the much more expensive saffron. In Brazil, a powder known as colorau or colorífico is made from the ground seeds combined with filler seeds like maize. This powder is similar to and sometimes replaces paprika.

History
 
The Latin name of this plant 'Bixa orellana' does not give much of a clue regarding its properties. The genus name is probably derived from the Portuguese 'biche' meaning beak which alludes to the beak shaped seedpods, while the species name is given in memory of Francisco de Orellano, a Spanish conquistador of the 16th century, who accidentally discovered the Amazon

Although the fruit of the Annatto tree are inedible it is often cultivated for its flowers and more especially for its seedpods. The pulp of the Annatto fruit yields a bright red dye, which has long been used both as a body paint and dye stuff for textiles or food. The ancient Maya and Aztecs regarded it as a symbolic substitute for blood and thus ascribed to it sacred connotations. It was also used to make ink and virtually all the ancient Maya scriptures were penned in annatto juice. The seeds also have a reputation as a female aphrodisiac and are believed to make bulls used for bullfighting more aggressive. 

Indigenous people still use the pulp for 'cosmetic purposes', as hair dye or lip stick, hence the English common name 'Lipstick tree'. The pulp is also said to repel insects and to protect against sunburn due to the UV-filtering properties of the carotenoid pigment known as Bixin.

Medicinal Uses
 
The whole tree has a long history as a valued medicinal plant that has been used to treat a wide variety of conditions from fevers to cancer. 

The shoots and young leaves are used for feverish infections including gonorrhoea, dysentery and hepatitis. They are believed to protect the liver and reduce cholesterol. The leaves and seeds are also used to soothe an irritated stomach that is suffering from excessively spicy food. An infusion of the flowers are said to be a useful expectorant for new born babies. 

In some parts of the Amazon Annatto is used as a treatment for snakebites. Internally it is said to fight parasites and allies the pains derived from intestinal parasites. Externally the extract of the seeds wards off insects and protects the skin against the ultraviolet rays of the sun. It is also used as a general skin tonic and to heal skin conditions.

The leaves have a marked effect on the urinary system and increase the volume of urine in cases of renal insufficiency or cystitis. 

They are also said to reduce benign prostate hyperplasia and generally reputed to have anti-tumor activity, which are thought to be due to the high anti-oxidant activity of the carotenoid compounds Bixin and Norbixin, which are also the source of the red pigment Annatto is known for. These carotenoides have also been found to lower blood sugar levels and have been used for the treatment of diabetes in traditional medicine systems.

ANTI-FUNGAL ACTIVITIES OF ACHIOTE

Another health benefit exerted by achiote added to those mention in carotenoids and due to a on of its bioactive sesquiterpenes is the moderate anti-fungal activity against:

• Candida albicans,
• low activity against T. mentagrophytes

and low anti-bacterial activity against:

• Escherichia coli,
• Staphylococcus aureus, and
• P. aeruginosa.

It was inactive against B. subtilis and A. niger [7].

ANTI-MICROBIAL PROPERTIES OF ACHIOTE

In developing countries and particularly in Colombia, people with low income and less access to modern medicine resources such as farmers, those living in small isolate villages and native communities, use folk medicine and natural remedies for the treatment of common infections. Achiote is also among those herbs used in Colombian folk medicine to treat infections of microbial origin, mainly for the treatment of:

• pharyngitis, 
• gingivitis,
• bronchitis,
• infected wounds,
• topical ulcers, and as
• anti-parasitic agents

Extracts of the leaves of Achiote (Bixa orellana) possesses anti-microbial activity against gram positive microorganisms and Candida albicans [8,9].
Achiote leaves have been employed to treat malaria and Leishmaniasis[8,10]. Its seeds contain carotenoids. The leave extracts of Achiote (Bixa orellana) showed also maximum activity against Bacillus pumilus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=augQnzW02J8
 
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfFMc8xWHUY

http://www.sacredearth.com/ethnobotany/plantprofiles/achiote.php 

http://www.herbcyclopedia.com/item/health-benefits-of-achiote-bixa-orellana-2

Maya Trees Chaya Medicinal Uses for Diabetis, Artritis, Obesity, Kidney Stones, Hemorrhoids, Acne, and Eye Problems, Laxative, Diuretic Circulation Stimulant

By Liliana Usvat    
Blog 343-365 

Chaya - Spinach Tree (English), Chay (Maya)Chaya (Spanish), Cnidoscolus chayamansa. Native to Yucatan, chaya are highly nutritious shrubs with valuable concentrations of minerals, vitamins, and anti-oxidants. Organically grown Chaya shrubs have large leafs.  It is an evergreen that loves sunny areas.  Chaya blooms frequently with both male and female flowers bloom together. Young leaves  are used by Maya people much like spinach in traditional Mayan Cuis

It is also known as tree spinach.  Make sure to cook it, as it contains hydrocyanic glycosides (whatever they are) and the obvious milky white sap that can be an itchy irritant if it touches your skin, so be careful when harvesting.  Chaya is rich in protein, calcium, iron, carotene, riboflavin, niacin, and ascorbic acid.  It is drought tolerant and grows well in hot, rainy, dry, well drained and partially shaded areas.  chaya reproduces well by stick cuttings and can be coppiced and regrows well after cutting.  It has no pest problems.

Chaya or spinach tree or Tree Spinach (Cnidoscolus chayamansa) is actually about twice as nutritious as spinach. It is a good source of nutrients including protein, calcium, iron, potassium, and vitamin C. It is a fast growing dense shrub, native to Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. It grows to about 6-8 feet tall.

Soil: Tolerates most soil conditions, but might dislike acid. Liming and fertilizing should benefit Chaya. The leaves contain a lot of protein, calcium, and potassium, so the soil must have it for the plant to extract, if it is to be healthy. (Nitrogen to make protein)
 
Good for Reforestation
 
Water: well to somewhat well drained. Tolerates brief flooding and droughts
Sun: full is best, tolerates shade
Cold: Can be killed by a hard freeze, but will usually resprout from the roots. Mulch the base to protect it.
Pruning: Unnecessary, but sometimes used to control height. Crowded internal branches can be removed for propagation or aesthetics.
Propagation: Easily propagated by stem cuttings.
Pests: none
Other problems: It can be slow to get going.

Harvesting, storage, and preparation: Most recommendations say not to harvest until the second year, because the plants are slow to establish before they can grow quickly.  Never harvest more than 50% of the leaves, except from stems cut for propagation.

 Leaves must be cooked to release cyanide, which evaporates. Apparently aluminum cookware can cause a diarrhea-causing reaction with the cyanide compounds when cooking. 

 On principle it's wise to cook all fruits and vegetables in non-aluminum pans because of their high acidity. 

Drying the leaves also reduces the hydrogen cyanide significantly. Blending will do the same IF the blended leaves are allowed to sit for several hours. The amount of hydrogen cyanide differs from variety to variety and may account for reports of some variety leaves being eaten raw.  Researchers say they have found no reports  of acute or chronic effects attributed to the consumption of fresh or cooked Chaya leaves.

METHOD OF PREPARATION: Chopped leaves, stem tips and shoots boiled or fried. Cooking for 20 minutes destroys hydrogen cyanide in the tissue. Cooking broth is drinkable.  Leaves can be blended and consumed after letting them sit for several hours. Large leaves can be used to wrap food for cooking. The entire plant can be dried, ground, and used as fodder for animals or meal for fish.

Medicinal Uses
 
Recent scientific studies confirmed what Belizean natural healers and Maya shaman have known for centuries – eating a small amount of Chaya after or as part of a meal will lower blood glucose levels.
A study conducted by the Mexican National Institute of Nutrition concludes that Chaya will not only combat diabetes but is also effective in treating arthritis. 

Following the oral administration of chaya tea, the blood glucose levels of the diabetic rabbits were gradually lowered from a high of 118 (baseline at 0.0 h) to 87 six hours after administration. The blood glucose level of 87 is similar to blood glucose levels of normoglycemic rabbits on drinking water.”Chaya was used by the Maya in their healing practices and to this day it is common to observe Chaya trees growing around Mayan temples in Belize.

 Chaya leaf furnishes appreciable quantities of several of the essential mineral macronutrients necessary for human health maintenance. For example, potassium has been shown to be an important mineral nutrient in the control of hypertension and in the reduction of risks of stroke (NRC 1989), calcium is important for ossification and iron is necessary for normal hematopoiesis

Diabetes is common in Belize and among native American populations in the U.S.A. and even among those who do not consider themselves native American but have native American markers in their DNA. Research has shown that indigenous Americans have adopted modern American style diets with high fat, carbohydrates and sugar content and their bodies simply cannot handle this diet.

Chaya traditionally has been recommended for a number of ailments including diabetes, obesity, kidney stones, hemorrhoids, acne, and eye problems (Diaz-Bolio 1975). Chaya shoots and leaves have been taken as a laxative, diuretic, circulation stimulant, to improve digestion, to stimulate lactation, and to harden the fingernails (Rowe 1994)

Most folks lightly boil the Chaya and drink the resulting “tea”.
 

Incorporate Chaya Into Your Diet

Here is how to make Chaya Tea: Chaya tea – five large chaya leaves (more if smaller). Cut up into small pieces and oiled lightly in one liter water for 20 minutes. Cool. Add pinch of salt and squeeze of lime. Drink about three cups throughout the day. Chaya tea is a natural diuretic keeps the lines clean. Lower blood sugar for diabetics Reputedly keeps the liver ‘clean’.
Others use Chaya as part of the meal, chop it up and mix it with sausage or longanisa and scrambled eggs. Others lightly boil the leaves and use it as spinach in a salad. 

Chaya and Corn Tortillas Recipe

Ingredients: Chaya leaf – a good size bunch. (Note handling advice)
Natural pig lard One or two onions. Fresh Corn tortillas Optional: Fresh Habanero Pepper Optional: Two eggs

Method: You pick a number of nice fat healthy dark green chaya leaves. Careful though — the edges of a Chaya leaf are full of tiny spines – that cause bad rash once in your skin!!

You then take your leaf and wash it. I then roll it up like a fat cigar and chop it with a sharp knife to “pieces” I usually also chop up one or two onions – plus a Habanaro pepper or two — and add that to the mix as well. Then take a good fry pan — lay down about 1/4 in fresh natural pig lard on the bottom. That too is a super food for your body. Salt well – or to taste.

Now — put over fire. Now the real “secret” – As soon as the pan warms up even a little bit – -stir the mix into the fat – then add sufficient rain water — say 1/2 inch level in that fry pan.

 Turn up the heat till it steams well – then put on big cover — and turn down heat so it but simmers. Leave it that way for 1/2 hour or more – raising cover and stirring about once every 10 minutes or so. When finished – there should be no water – or very little left – but do not let get fry hot in the fat — as that kills all the vitamins. Drain off excess water and fat — put in serving bowl — ready.

Now – take fresh tortilla – home made if you can get them. Fold it in the palm of your hand – fill with a fair amount of chaya leaf mix – – fold and roll gently and enjoy. You can also add eggs and / or some chopped up chicharrón to the mix – but do that only in the last 5 minutes of pan cooking – stirring it in.

The nutritional analysis of chaya (C. chayamansa) leaves and spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) are presented for comparison.


 

Maya Srubs Piñuela Yucateca

By Liliana Usvat    
Blog 342-365 
 

Piñuela Yucateca (Spanish) Jo’oyok or X' hoyoc (Maya), Morinda yucatanensis Greenm,  Rubiaceae Family, slender shrub with narrow elliptic leafs inflorescent clusters of pale off-white small five petal flowers in sessile globosely clusters at leaf axils; small fruits shaped like mini-cactus bumps, yellow when riped. "Piñuela Yucateca" shrubs grow commonly entangled with other plants.
 

Medicinal Uses
Mayan healers use this medicinal plant for digestive system healings and for Mayan "evil wind ailments.
 
At one time it was thought that plants from the Yucatán were a distinct species and were given the binomial Morinda yucatanensis. However, now Yucatán's plants are considered the same as Morinda royoc, and Morinda royoc is an old Linnaeus name, worthy of being preserved.
 
You can see why one of the many English names used for the vine is Mouse's Pineapple. The pineapple is formed by the close clustering of numerous maturing inferior flower ovaries. Inferior ovaries are those from which the calyx's sepals, the corolla and the stamens arise above the ovary, not at the ovary's base, in which case it would be a superior ovary.